Prepare to see Mo Gilligan as you’ve never seen him before as he fronts a brand new documentary coming to Netflix next month.
Produced by Mindhouse (Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere), Big Chicken: A Fast Food Conspiracy follows Mo Gilligan as he investigates “our global fried chicken obsession – and the hidden costs behind our cravings”.
From fast-food chains to large-scaling farming and the impact on our health, our planet and the way we eat, Big Chicken: A Fast Food Conspiracy will be released on Netflix on Wednesday 5 August.
In the feature-length documentary, the comedian puts his body to the test in a bold experience by eating fried chicken 3 times a day for 28 days straight. In addition, he embarks on an eye-opening journey from South London to the United States to reveal the historical origins of fried chicken and the social, economic and industrial forces driving its mass consumption.
As a Black British comedian, Gilligan also seeks to reframe perceptions of the dish by confronting negative stereotypes associated with it, as he examines how it has been culturally appropriated and advertised in today’s market.
The synopsis continues: “Uncovering shocking revelations along the way, Big Chicken: A Fast Food Conspiracy encourages Mo to reckon with the unsettling realities behind his favourite takeaway, sparking greater curiosity about the origins of our food and a more informed approach to the choices we make about what we eat.”
The trailer for the documentary has also been unveiled, offering a preview at Mo Gilligan’s bold experiment, featuring insights from experts and medical professionals.
You can watch it below.
Want to see this content?
This page contains content provided by YouTube. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as YouTube may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose ‘Accept and continue’ to allow YouTube and its required purposes.
Gilligan has shared his excitement for the documentary’s release on social media, writing in a statement: “I thought I knew chicken. Turns out, I knew nowhere near enough.
“From South London to the US, I wanted to understand where our obsession with fried chicken comes from, who profits from it, what it means for our health and the planet, and why this one food carries so much history.
“As a Black British comedian, it was important for me to challenge the stereotypes around Black people and fried chicken, unpack where those ideas came from, and reclaim a dish that’s part of a much bigger story than the one we’ve been told.
“I met some incredible people along the way, from historians and farmers to nutrition experts and industry insiders. Every conversation taught me something.”
Big Chicken: A Fast Food Conspiracy will be released on Netflix on Wednesday 5 August. You can sign up to Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky TV and Virgin Media.
Check out more of our Documentaries coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
Katelyn Mensah is the Senior Entertainment Writer for Radio Times, covering all major entertainment programmes, reality TV shows and the latest hard-hitting documentaries. She previously worked at The Tab, with a focus on reality TV and showbiz news and has obtained a BA (Hons) in Journalism.
